The Crocodile

The fierce reptile lies silently beneath the surface, waiting for just the right moment to strike. Then, lunging forward with massive jaws open wide, the crocodile attacks! Animals and people alike are startled and flee for their lives!

This is a situation for the "Crazy Crocodile Hunters"!

Armed and ready, two heroes fearlessly pursue this tenacious creature.

After a grueling morning, the ferocious crocodile is finally defeated, and the townsfolk breath a sigh of relief.

It's all in a day's work for the "Crazy Crocodile Hunters".

(For those who may be curious, this scenario was completely fabricated in the minds of Seth and Hadassah. I did not put the idea into their heads, but simply recorded it for your amusement.) ;o) Hehe!

Good Question...

Sometimes I come across a thought or idea that spurs me on to do something big....
Recently Steve told me about some neat things he was reading on the blog of Pastor Perry Noble, so I decided to check it out. I was really challenged and motivated, and I think that a lot of you would be too, if you read it. ... So, I wrote to Mr. Noble and asked permission to share his thoughts. (He said yes.)

Please read the following. He asks a really good question... it might even change your life.

We all have them…life changing moments, you know, the ones where the world seems to stand still and you come face to face with something that just about engulfs you…
It happened to me in August of 1999. I was having lunch with a friend/mentor of mine at Red Lobster (LOVE their garlic cheese biscuits!) I had been restless for about six months and I knew God was pushing me towards something…but I wasn’t sure what. AND…I didn’t want my restlessness to turn into rebellion by me trying to force something…so I began processing with him out loud…
And he asked me THIS question…

“What would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you could not fail?”

I knew the answer…I didn’t even have to think about it…it literally just flew out of my mouth, “I would plant a church.”
He looked at me dead in the eye and said, “then you are a coward if you don’t!”
SO…literally…at that moment I said “yes” to the call I knew God had placed on my life. I didn’t know the answers (still don’t), I didn’t know anything about strategy or structure, didn’t know how technology would play a part of the church, didn’t know how we were going to establish leadership…I didn’t know a LOT…
BUT…what I did know is that God had placed a DREAM inside of me to plant a church…and when Dale asked me the question I mentioned earlier it SHOOK me…and DROVE me to take a DIVE of faith.
SO…what about you…what would YOU be willing to attempt for God if you KNEW you could not fail?
If the answer isn’t, “what I am doing right now” then I would say you need to do some serious praying and rearranging.
You see…life is SHORT…our days are numbered…and God didn’t put us on this planet to screw around…but rather to MAKE A DIFFERENCE by USING what HE has given us to advance HIS Kingdom and MAKE HIM FAMOUS!
Too many of us are held captive by fear…but remember He is THE MOST HIGH GOD!!! Never let fear trump the potential God has placed in you!
Too many of us are held captive by the unknown…but remember HE KNOWS! Besides…if we have EVERY answer to every question then what He is comanding us to do would not require faith on our part…and where would the fun be in that?!?!?!
Too many of us are held captive by people who say “it” can’t be done…but if you will look at who is saying that “it” you will discover that they aren’t actually doing anything except for trying to hold back the people God is letting loose to do ministry.
Too many of us are held captive by critics…but if you will notice Jesus was criticized…and, if you are not experiencing some opposition then that means the enemy is pleased with you…not exactly the calling our lives should fulfill!!!
What would you be willing to attempt for God if you KNEW you could not fail?
You’ve GOT to beg Him for revelation on this…and when He gives you the Word…you’ve GOT to act. God doesn’t reveal Himself to us so that we can CONSIDER IT…but rather so that we will be CONSUMED by it and OBEY HIS VOICE!
BTW…if the thing that you would attempt scares you to death…if you have had sleepless nights thinking about it…if you KNOW that failure is a sure thing unless HE gets involved…then you should probably make a move…SOON! (Like…maybe even RIGHT NOW!!!)
When Dale asked me that question I told myself, “I’ve got nothing to lose…I am going to give this a shot…I don’t want to waste my life and then look back 20 years from now and begin asking ‘what if’ questions!” (AND…you don’t want that for yourself either!!!)
SO…what would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you could not fail? You’re not waiting on Him…He’s waiting on you…do you need to make a move, share Christ with someone, plant a church, change careers…WHAT IS IT that BURNS YOUR HEART and DRAWS YOU to DESPERATE DEPENDENCE ON HIM?
What would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you could not fail? Can you imagine what the world would be like if all of us allowed that question to drive the vision for our lives?
What about it?

"ING"

A random summary of what I'm doING today...

Anticipating: Getting some flowers planted in the ground pretty soon! (Maybe a veggie garden too??)
Missing: Steve. (I know, mush, mush) I do though. He's away for a couple days.
Debating: Should I clean the house, throw in a chick flick, or go to bed?
Cooking: (cooked) Pasta for supper
Cleaning: leaves off our floor (the dog keeps dragging them in)
Eating: Chocolate Moose Tracks ice cream. Polished it off, actually. Sorry Steve. ;o)
Reading: "Joseph" by Chuck Swindoll (Steve reads and I listen) for inspiration and entertainment, the book of "Job" for spiritual nourishment, and "Green Eggs and Ham" for the kids
Listening: To a CD of piano music playing in the hall outside the kiddos rooms as they sleep
Watching: A video of a little girl who was adopted from China about a year ago
Finishing: My spring cleaning of the clothes closets and storage bins - Yay!
Enjoying: A day that was warm enough and kids who were healthy enough to spend three hours outside this afternoon! That was an amazing and long-awaited blessing!
Feeling: physically - sleepy. Emotionally - excited for the next thing God has in store for us
Trying: To focus when I do devotions lately, instead of letting my mind wander to the dozens of chores I could/should do sometime soon.
Learning: (and re-learning) to try to do all things out of love, including disciplining our children (instead of out of anger or frustration)
Thinking: About some loved ones with failing health
Planning: The details about what needs to be done on our end before Jessica's wedding in 6 weeks!
Traveling: To the doctor's office and back, then (biking) to the park and back!
Recalling: That I need to get to sleep soon if I hope to be engaging with the kids tomorrow!

(A neat lady I know gave me this idea from her blog this winter. If you want to check out some exciting things in the life of a Teacher to Missionary Kids in Japan, see Lori's blog here http://www.tckteacher.blogspot.com/)

Happy Mother's Day!

I just wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there! Thank you for all you do!!! I hope you have a wonderful day!

love,

Natalie

(I'll have a little something about our moms coming soon... I have a wiggly girl on my lap so I can't write any more now!)

My Littlest Sis

We're really proud and thankful for all of our family members. I thought today would be a great day to brag up my littlest sister as it is her 20th birthday. Last year at the State Horse Expo an agent from "Farm Boy" Clothing (http://www.farmboybrand.com/) saw Stephanie and asked her to do some modeling for them! Here's some of her pics...

(Steph's the one in the red shirt)

We love you Stephanie. You are a beautiful young lady on the outside and even more beautiful on the inside. It's a blessing to have you in our lives. We hope you have a great day and we pray for God's guidance for your future.

No baby should experience this

Last night I had a dream about babies. It was a happy dream filled with chubby, cooing, content little ones. My mind must have created these pictures in my dreams because we have several friends who are either expecting or just had babies. I'm pretty sure I woke up smiling at the thought of these little darlings.
A short while later the smile faded as I read a blog post from the author, Tom Davis. He wrote about the urgent need for formula for malnourished babies in Ethiopia. My heart is wrenched by the thought of children and babies who starve to death as their mothers hold their tiny bodies and wish they had some bit of food or milk to give them.
No child (or parent, for that matter) should experience this atrocity. It might seem kind of sick, but I am including a picture of a baby on Tom's blog, followed by a photo of my chubby little Haddie to compare it to.
Babies like Haddie are so common in our country. For the most part, nourishment and health care are availiable. The same cannot be said of many countries around the world.

I don't write this to make anyone feel guilty or miserable. I do hope that others might have a desire to take action. Thinking about the dire needs of people around the world isn't comfortable... but then again, is comfort the supreme goal we should aspire to? For too many years I cared about situations like the babies in Ethiopia, but I always thought it was someone else's responsibility to act. God has changed my heart and has turned my focus away from myself. I realized that if I am aware, I am responsible to do something.
If the top photo or this information pulls at your heart strings, please go to Tom's Blog. Just click here http://tomdavis.typepad.com/tom_daviss_blog/ You may need to scroll down to the "May 4" posting. He has more information there and a way to make donations. If there is nothing you can do financially (or even if you can!) would you please stop what you are doing and pray for these children? Many lives are facing certain death today.
Thank you.

Happy May Day!

Hello All! We hope you are having a wonderful first day of May!
In the spirit of a spring-y month, I thought I'd share the results of the day I decided to take "Spring Pictures" of Seth and Haddie.
It was.... an adventure....

Ohhh, Kisses!

Seth, already wondering when we were going to be done.

I tried tickling Haddie to get a smile. ;o)

Break time.

"Cheese"

L.O.L. Haddie looks confused. ;o)

"Mom, can you take a picture of my McQueen tattoo?"

"I wonder if my mom is ever going to be done with this?"

"Oh, wait, wait!"

I lowered myself to bribing with Peeps.

Maybe we can try looking the same direction next time. ;o)

Ahh, almost had it!

Big smiles during a computer break. Of course.

Moral of the story: It's not lookin' like we're going to get many pics of the two of them smiling and looking the same way for the time being.... Oh, well. We had some fun!